Scleroscope.



A. F. SHORE. SGLEROSCOPE. APPLICATION NLED JAN.9.1912.

l ,l 21 ,050, y Patented Dec. 15, i914.

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A. F. SHORE.

SCLEROSCOPE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.9.1912.

1,121,050, Patented Dec. 15,1914.

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ALBERT FERDINAND SHORE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T TH SHORE INS'.l?B,'U'-

MENT & MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

SCLEROSCOPE.

Specification of Letters Patent. i

Patented Dec. 15, 1914.

i To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT FERDINAND SHORE, a citizen of the United States, resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Scleroscopes, of which the following is a specification. y

My invention relates to devices for testing the hardness of materials. l

It relates furthermore to the class 4of instruments called scleroscopes, and particularly to the scleroscope lnvented by me and set forth in my U. S. Patent, No. 962,790, of June 28th., 1910. In thispatent I have shown a machine for determining the hardness of materials by measuring on a graduated scale the height of rebound of a miniature tap hammer, or striker falling from a predetermined height onto the surface of the material the hardness of which is to be measured. This small striker falling simply under its own weight, (about 40 grains), always rebounds to variable `heights depending upon the hardness or resistance to penetration oii'ered by the material under test, which may be a metal, such as iron, steel, lead or carbon, or any substance capable of taking on a permanent` set.` In the original scleroscope, setv forth in my abovementioned patent, it was necessary to suck up the small striker by means ,of one bulb,

and then, after opening an inlet valve, another bulb was pressed torelease the striker.

In my improved automatic instrument forming the subject matter of the,present application, the necessary valves, .the suction for the striker and release for the same are alternately operated by one bulb. acting on a cam, through the medium jofa piston, an adjustable oscillator and-ratchets.- This reduction from two to onesuction bulb, rendering the adjustment automatic isa great advantage, since it leaves the hands more free, and secures more ease and convenience of manipulation. l

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this application: Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through the parts necessary to an understanding of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a section at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1.

In both figures the lower portion is cut away, as not forming a part of the present invention.

and a scale; 2 are t graduated tube casing;

Referring to the drawings; 1 is a transparent tube graduated to a predetermined e graduations on said scale; 3 1s a small piston tap hammer, or striker, slidin 1n the tube and provided with enlarge portions 4 and 5 snugly fitting the tube and serving as guides for the striker;

6 is a pointed diamond forming the imping-y ing surface of my improved striker; 7 is a hollowed out space in the top of the striker; 78L is a rlng-grip for convenience of the operator in carrying and holding the instrument; 8 are a pair of shears-like levers pivoted at 9, and provided at their lower extremities with hooks 10 adapted to be spread out and hold the striker when ready for the test; 11 and 12 are prongs fashioned on the upper ends of the pivoted levers; 13 is a coneshaped hollow on the head of the plunger 14, and 15 is a spring maintaining the cone surface 13 in gentle contact with the prongs when the striker is suspended on the hooks 10; 16 is a second hollow steel cone suspended on the top of the graduated tubecasing by the spring 17; 17a is a cylindrical extension piece screwed onto the top of the 18 is a plunger sliding in the cylinder 17, and actuating the hollow cone 16; the plunger is also provided with a valve 19, with its packing 20 controlling the passing of air to the graduated tube from the top casing 20a; 22 are vent-holes fashioned in the plunger 18, and putting the tube alternatelyin communication with the top casing 20EL and with the piston cylinder 33; 21 are vent holes connecting the top casing 20a with the outer air; 24 is the rod of the plunger 18 having pivoted at its top a small wheel 25; 26 is a cylinder carrying a cam-disk 27 27a are ratchets controlling the movements of the cam disk 27; 28 is a lug attached to the driving end of the cylinder 26; to -this lug is fastened the adjustable oscillator 29, actuated by the piston 30; 31 is the piston packing, and 32 is a spring controlling the travel of the piston; 33 is the piston cylinder connected by means of the valve 34 and passages 22 with the graduated tube, and through the tube 34a with the suction bulb 36; 37 is a spring holding the ratchets 273L in engagement. 38 is a hollow eccentric screw; 39 is a set-screw provided with a cone 40 at its inner end.

The operation is as follows z--In the original scleroscope set forth in my patent mentioned above, when the striker u was hollowed-out head, a pair of pivoted levers' down, it was necessary to press one bulb each provided with a hook on its lower exser'ving only the purpose of lifting the tension and bein provided each on its upstriker, and then to press another to reper extension wit prongs extending atright lease it. Now, inthe present improved autoangles to each other, in combination With 70I matic instrument, assume the striker tobe means for causing the striker to rise in the down, having been dropped in Inaking'a test. tube and engage the hooked ends in the It will be found impossible to suck up the hollowed-out head of the striker. striker by pressing and then releasing the 2. In a hardness testing device,a gradun bulb 36, since the valve 19 is unseated, havated tube, a very light striker freely mov- 75. ing'been forced down by a projectlon on able in said tube, the striker being provided the cam disk 27, thus furnishing air conwitb a hollowed-out head, and a pair of nection between the casing 20a and the gradshears-like levers located in the path of the uate'd tube 1. But, pressing the bulb again, striker having their lower extensions promoves the piston with its oscillating rod 29, vided with hooks, the upperu extension of g@ thereb advancing the cam disk one step each lever having` two prongs extending at and allowing the small wheel 25 to seat in a right angles to each other, in combination depression of the cam disk. Under the action with pneumatic means for causing the of the spring 17 the valve 19'seats itself, striker to rise in the tube and with means.

s hutting off communication of the tube with for expanding the hooks to engage the inner 35 the outer air. Releasing now the bulb, the sides of the striker head. partial vacuum thereby produced causes the 3. In a hardness testing device, a gradustriker to rise in the graduated tube and the ated tube, a striker movable freely in said hook-ends 10 of the levers 8 to enter and be tube, said striker being provided with a holheld in the hollow space of the top of the lowed-out head, a pair of shears-like levers 90 striker. Pressing again on the bulb, adlocated in the plane of travel of the striker, vances the cam disk one step, brings the said levers being each provided with a hook wheel 25 under a projection on the cam, end on their lower extensions and with two forces down the plunger 18, unseatsl the valve prongs on their upper extensions projecting 19, allowing access of air to the tube 1, so at right angles to each other, vertically mov- 95 that the striker may fall in free air. The able hollow cones for engaging alternately descent of the plunger 18 carries the hollow the prongs on each upward extension, and cone 16 downward, forcing its sides into conpneumatic means for producing the downtact with the prongs 12, thereby shutting ward movements of the cones. j

together the hooks 10 and releasing the 4. In a hardness testing device, a gradu- 100 striker. The amount of its rebound measated tube, a cylinder mounted on the top of ured on the graduated scale, determines the the tube, a striker movable in said tube, a vrelative hardness of the material under test. plunger provided with air channels mov- Pressing the bulb again advances the cam able vertically in the cylinder and controlone step, brings the wheel 25 under a proling the drop of the striker, a valve carried 105 jection on the cam disk, thereby allowing by said plunger and controlling the access the valve 19 to reseat itself. Releasing the of air to the top of the graduated tube, in bulb causes the striker to again ascend, and combination with means for causing vertithe apparatus is ready for use. Should cal movement of the plunger in the cylinder.

there be trouble in the catch device, owing 5. In a hardness testing device, a gradu- 110 to the double hooks not being` centered with ated tube, a striker movable freely in said the bore of the tube, the hollow eccentric tube and provided with a hollow head and screw 38 is turned one way or another to suit a diamond impinging point, expansion hook the glass, while, if the hooks spread too levers arranged in the lpaths of the striker,

much, the screw 39 is set in farther, thus projections fastened on the upper extensions 115 forcing the cone end 40 between the upper of the levers, a pair of spring-controlled holeXtension arms of the levers. If the hooks low cones engaging alternately the lever 10 do not spread sufficiently, the set-screw projections, and pneumatic means for conis turned the other way. trolling the upward movement of the striker The two cones, while in constant control and the downward movement of the hollow 120 of the hooks, are of a loose fit and free to cones. fioat laterally with the said hooks, so that 6. In a hardness testing device, a graduthey may readily adapt themselves to the ated tube, a striker movable freely in said slighter inaccuracies of the graduated glass tube, a pairof hook levers for holding the tube. striker at a *fixed height, a cylinder located 125 Having thus fully set forth and illusabove and communicating withsaid tube, trated my invent1on, what I claim, is a plunger movable vertically in the cylinder, 1. In a hardness testing device, a specially a pair of spring-controlled ioating hollow graduated tube, a very light striker movable cones movable with the plunger, and a cam freely in said tube, said striker having a disk engaging the top of the plunger and l controlling the vertical movements of the plunger, in combination with pneumatic means for moving the cam disk and controlling the rise 'and descent of the striker.

7. In a hardness testing device, a graduated tube, a striker freely movable in said tube, means for holding the striker in a fixed position, downwardly movable plunger adapted to operate the holding means to release the striker, in combination with a single pneumatic bulb controlling the rise of the striker and the downward movement of the plunger.

8. In a hardness testing device, a gradul5 ated tube, a striker freely movable in said tube, a pair of shears-like hook levers located in the path of the striker and adapted to engage the same, means for regulating the position of the levers relatively to the center of graduated tube, and means for controlling the spread of the hook lever extensions, substantially as set `forth;

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 27th day of December A. D. 1911.

ALBERT FERDINAND SHORE.

Witnesses:

ALBERT STE'rsoN, MARTHA W. SHAW. 

